Black History Month at ICS: Carrying Forward a Legacy

Black History Month is an invitation to honor the past while allowing its lessons to shape the way we live today. History matters most when it moves us toward action, especially as leaders and educators. It reminds us what’s possible and challenges us to do better for the children and families we serve.

One leader whose legacy continues to shape how I think about education, equity, and what it means to lead with purpose is Dr. Johnnetta Betsch Cole.

In 1987, Dr. Cole became the first Black woman president of Spelman College, a historic institution founded to educate Black women. After more than a century of leadership by white women and Black men, her appointment marked a pivotal moment in history. Dr. Cole’s presidency reshaped what leadership looked like in higher education and ushered in a renewed sense of pride and possibility.

Dr. Cole didn’t stop there; in 2004, she became the first African American chair of the board of United Way of America, one of the nation’s most influential civic organizations. Her leadership reflected a belief that systems change when we understand people’s realities and respond with care and shared responsibility.

It’s that legacy of vision and action that inspires me personally, and I’m honored this year to carry it forward as a member of United Way of Greater Atlanta’s inaugural Cole Council. Named in Dr. Cole’s honor, the Cole Council brings together leaders committed to advancing child well-being through collaboration, philanthropy, and influence. It reflects the leadership Dr. Cole modeled, one that values relationships, is informed by data, and is grounded in justice.

At ICS, we rely on United Way’s Child Well-Being Index to guide our work because it shows where children and families face the greatest challenges, highlighting the disparities that exist across Atlanta. Did you know Atlanta has one of the highest inequality gaps in the country, and among the 50 largest U.S. metro areas, it ranks last for economic mobility? A child born into poverty here has less chance of climbing the economic ladder than in any other big city in the nation.

For us, the Child Well-Being Index is the starting point. When we layer this data over ICS’s enrollment map, we see exactly where our families live and the challenges they face. That insight allows us to target resources, build trust, and design solutions that meet families where they are. 

Joining the Cole Council gives me the opportunity to collaborate with other changemakers, leverage our collective influence, and work together to close these gaps for children in our ICS community and across Atlanta.

I am grateful for leaders like Dr. Johnnetta Betsch Cole, whose courage opened doors and whose vision continues to guide us forward. Her legacy reminds us that transformational leadership doesn’t just change institutions — it changes lives.